OFFICIAL NEWS
JOSCHKA FISCHER: AZERBAIJAN IS THE MOST IMPORTANT COUNTRY IN THE SOUTHERN CAUCASUS
PRESIDENT OF AZERBAIJAN ILHAM ALIYEV RECEIVES FOREIGN MINISTER OF GERMANY JOSCHKA FICHER
The Head of Azerbaijan State pointed out that the visit by Mr. Fischer would foster now rapidly developing relations between the two countries. Having described all-sided Azerbaijan-Germany cooperation as very promising, President Ilham Aliyev said in particular: Azerbaijan is economically developing country, whose GDP rate is growing year by year, and which holds leading place among CIS member states in investments per capita. Azerbaijan has very favorable investment environment, and the program of privatization is being successfully implemented here. At the same, the country is conducting democratic. Azerbaijan is an active member of the Council of Europe for three years. Our cooperation with the European Union is also in progress. It is very positive factor that the European Union has appointed a special representative on Southern Caucasus because the region has serious problems including Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Nagorny Karabakh, which alarms us very much. As a result of the Armenian aggression, 20% of our territories were occupied, and over 1 million people became refugees and IDPs. This conflict is a source of a great threat to the region. We hope the OSCE Minsk Group directly involved in the conflict’s resolution will intensify its efforts for the problem to be solved in the framework of the international law, and the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan will be restored.
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Germany Mr. Joschka Fischer shared the opinion on high-level relationship between Azerbaijan and Germany, and noted the importance of its further developing.
He noted he was pleased of Azerbaijan’s membership to the Council of Europe, and expressed hope for intensification of the country’s efforts for developing democracy and ensuring human rights and freedoms. Mr. Fischer also expressed confidence in further development of the country in economic sphere. According to him, Azerbaijan is economically most important country in the Southern Caucasus, and as the region adjoins the European Union, Azerbaijan will have its impact on improvement of relationship between the European Union and Southern Caucasus.
Touching upon the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, Mr. Joschka Fischer expressed hope that the conflict sides will take decisive steps towards successful settlement of the problem, and pointed out readiness of the Minsk Group Co-chairs to do their best to this end.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Germany also expressed satisfaction with his second visit to Azerbaijan and described the meeting held with his Azerbaijani counterpart as very fruitful.
In conclusion, Mr. Fischer expressed gratitude to President Ilham Aliyev for the sincere meeting.
Present at the meeting were Head of the Presidential Administration’s International Relations Department Novruz Mammadov, Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Germany Huseynaga Sadygov, and Ambassador of Germany to Azerbaijan Klaus Grevlich.